Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Thermo Fisher) has appointed Marc N. Casper as president, chief executive officer (CEO) and a director of the company, effective October 15, 2009. Casper currently serves as executive vice president and chief operating officer. This announcement follows the decision of Marijn E. Dekkers to resign as president, CEO and a member of the board in order to become chief executive officer of Bayer AG.
Jim Manzi, chairman of the board, said, “Marc’s strong leadership at Thermo Fisher over the past eight years and his achievements both here and in other companies make him the natural choice to lead the company going forward. We are delighted that he will take on this new role. With our industry-leading position, commitment to world-class innovation and the most talented employees in the industry, we believe that the company is well-prepared for this transition and well-positioned to capitalize on new opportunities for growth. On behalf of the entire board of directors, we thank Marijn for his dedication to Thermo Fisher over the last nine years. Marijn has led the company through a period of exciting growth and has built a strong foundation for future success.” “My years at Thermo Fisher have been some of the best in my career, and I thank our employees, the leadership team and the board for working with me so diligently to achieve our mutual goals for the company,” said Mr. Dekkers. “Having accomplished so much together, it’s now time for me to move on to a new role, and I’m looking forward to the challenges of the next phase of my career. I feel good about my move at this time because the company is very strong financially and, in Marc’s capable hands and with the continued support of our employees, has more growth prospects than ever.” Casper said, “I have developed great respect for the knowledge and focus of our employees during my time at Thermo Fisher, and look forward to working with the leadership team and the board in my new role. Thanks to the successful execution of our strategy, demonstrated by our excellent financial track record, we have been able to deliver solid operating performance despite challenging economic conditions. We will work to continue to execute on our strategy for growth and success.”